Learning Theories And Their Application In The Clinical Environment

Critically analyse one learning theory and discuss how your selected learning theory can be used to facilitate learning in the Clinical Environment.

Learning may be defined as the change in the mind of a person’s knowledge and even behavior due to experiences (Webber-Cross, 2014, p. 36). The experiences may be through being taught, study, or accidental life experiences. Learning takes place in several ways despite personal or professional. Therefore, teaching and learning may be defined as a process that at some point depends on each other for its efficiency.

However, learning has continued to face several challenges which include engaging learners. Teachers are expected to communicate the values of learning and development to their learners which as some point becomes a problem since engaging learner remains one of the most expensive tasks. Often, it’s a challenge to convince learners to attend classes, actively participate in class, and follow through their academic thus this has continued to challenge learning (Wynne, 2010, p. 29). Secondly, the learning environment plays a significant role in enhancing learning hence the learning environment will affect the teaching and learning process.

This essay then seeks to address various challenges to teaching and learning in the clinical environment. Since, clinical professionals are often taught in a clinical environment then what are the challenges associated with learning in such environments. The essay will also analyze various learning theories and discuss the best fit theory to facilitate learning.

Clinical teaching may be defined as the process of teaching and learning directly while involving patients and their problems. Often, nursing students learn in a clinical setting to equip them with relevant skills in their education programs. However, the clinical environment has continued to face various problems since researchers are seeing it is not wise to teach nurses in the clinical environment. This has then challenged their capability since in most cases they not qualified for the tasks they perform. (In Mackenzie, In Jeggo, In Daszak, In Richt, & Springer-Verlag, 2013, p. 48). Recently, cases of unqualified students attending to patients are increasing resulting in poor treatment which has the effect of challenge nursing students to learn in the clinical environment.  

Despite the numerous advantages of learning in a clinical environment the learning set has continued to be challenged despite the fact that learning in such environment enhances learner with real life experiences. When learners learn in such an environment, they experience real life experiences (Edgecombe & Bowden, 2014, p. 33). Frequently, nurses learn care settings thus when they are learning in a clinical environment they can comfortably apply knowledge learned in real life experiences.

Learning theories

Secondly, when learners are allowed to learn in a clinical environment, there are unplanned experiences. Such experiences may not be applicable in a class setting thus improving the skills of a learner (Hovenga & In Grain, 2013, p. 64). Furthermore, learning in clinical environment integrates agency routines, and a feeling of a sense of belonging can be felt since students can adapt with their working environment. Moreover, students can acquire feedback on their performances directly from patients. This will then help the student assess their strong and weak areas thus improving where needed. Usually, nurses, since their studies are conducted in a clinical setting they work in part time at the clinical institution thus the students thanks to the clinical environment they can earn while still working.

On the other hand, the clinical environment has been associated with various disadvantages which include trial and error resulting in worsening of a patient’s health. Similarly, such cases have been widespread when nurses are taught in a clinical environment resulting to reduced trust in nurses in a hospital (Feldman, 2003, p. 47). Furthermore, some unexpected experiences contrary to their primary objective to enhance a learners experience they end up shocking students, and some even end up quitting from nursing due to fear of challenges they may experience that in their career.

Learning theories may be defined as conceptual frameworks describing how knowledge is retained, absorbed, and processed during learning. The learning theories are classified into three namely, behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism theory (Pritchard, 2017, p. 11). The theories seek to explain how learning should be carried out in various learning institution but they vary based on the nature of students and their academic level.  The constructivist theory is characterized by the fact that it natures considerations to students hence in its nature involves learners in long term learning outcomes. The theory seeks to raise contemporary forms of learning, assessment, and teaching hence it is characterized by interactive and digital teaching.

On the other hand, the cognitive was set to aid in overpowering various undesirable aspects of behavior. The cognitive theory emphasizes a belief that thoughts will always come before emotions thus resulting to a learner changing his or her opinions. The theory has frequently been useful in learning permitting various learning, teaching, and valuation methods hence their nature of quick assessment on an individual’s skills (Scott, 2013, p. 64). The cognitive theory has gained popularity since its most preferred in teaching due to its nature of positive results both professionally and psychologically.

How behaviorism theory can facilitate learning in the clinical environment

The behavioral theory is the most common learning theory since it involves comparing various past behaviors with the present ones like is done currently in most school setting when leaners are first taught a theory to a concept thus may be regarding as comparing a concept to when it was first used. The theory furthermore, has a superior impact on researchers addressing treatment and valuation of behavioral hitches. Often, clinical groups use this theory on patients with mental retardation thus are termed to be effective in clinical learning.

The behaviorist approach is concerned with stimuli, i.e., environmental factors respond to the behavior, i.e., response. Furthermore, the method involves learning from two main processes namely the classical and operant conditioning (Troutman, 2015, p. 45). The theory insists that behaviors are learned thus clinical environment involves more of learning with practical experiences thus the theory can fit in any clinical environment. In theory, learning is indicated by the relatively permanent change in behavior.

The behaviorist theory facilitates learning through the classical conditioning. This was amongst the first learning behavior to demonstrate a laboratory setting. Often, in clinical environment nurses frequently learn using laboratory settings (Miller, 2011, p. 52). Furthermore, the theory stimulates the production of behavioral response which is a major clinical observation. As a result, any clinical environment will prefer to use the behaviorist theory since they can be used in laboratories and can simulate behavior response. This explains why nurses use this response to heal various illnesses linked to behavioral change. Moreover, classical conditioning enhances training of nurses since the theory can be used to train them on the same reflexive responses thus its high preferred in the clinical setting.

The behaviorist theory also enhances exposure therapy utilized in the clinical environment. Since the effectiveness of exposure therapies are significantly determined by a patient’s behavior concept, i.e., habituation. This is the process by which a person’s behavioral and sensory response is contained over a period of time. Therefore, the therapies in the clinical environment may be essential to help in educating nurses thus the need to adopt behaviorist theory in a clinical environment (Wicks-Nelson & Israel, 2014, p. 43). Furthermore, the exposure therapy is required to be conducted in vivo exposure, i.e., real life exposure due to the feared stimulus. As a result, the behaviorist cannot be efficient in a class room setting. Thus they can only be useful in a clinical setting.

Furthermore, behaviorism theory enhances systematic desensitization. This is considered the most efficient way used in treating anxiety in patients. Nevertheless, it has been costly to get people to agree to this method. However, can be very responsive in making patients relax in the presence of fearful situations (Mattingly, 2010, p. 47). The method is used in both actual and marginal exposure to help patients recover from any systematic desensitization. As a result, the desensitization may not be employed in a class environment since it has to be used practically by patient thus the students can learn from the change they witness when the patient is prescribed with the systematic desensitization.

Also, the behaviorist theory plays a significant role in response prevention. The prevention may be possible when a patient has been conducting various therapies, i.e., the prevention of reply therapies. The therapies aid in discontinuing maladaptive responses. Therefore, response prevention has to be prescribed to a patient enabling a leaner to conduct the therapies to ensure that they prevent maladaptive responses. As a result response prevention cannot be applicable in a class setting since need to learn from a clinical environment. Therefore, the behaviorist theory can only facilitate learning in a clinical setting, unlike other theories.

The fact that the behaviorist theory is involved in behaviors that are stimulated by the prescription given to a patient it may be impossible to use the theory in a class setting. When patients are treated in any medical institution in requires that they are often kept under the care and the manner in which a patient will respond will determine the next treatment. As a result when training nurses this has to be practical thus the preference of behaviorism theory since it involves real life situations. The behaviorist theory is considered to be the best in learning in most nursing institutions. The theory insists practical experiences and trial thus the theory will be applicable in a clinical environment.

On the other hand, the behaviorist theory is considered the easiest to learn since it encourages clear objective analysis. This is because the stimulus can be Cleary observed enabling learners to respond thus reinforce their actions. Moreover, since the theory is more of practical based it enhances learning thus understand in students has continued to increase in nature since it’s even possible to experiment what they learned (Whitman, 2011, p. 64). On the other hand, the theory gives learners possible outcomes thus providing alternative results that are to be expected hence the learner may adhere to the stimulus. Therefore, behaviorism theory involves real life experiences thus the theory is only applicable in a clinical environment.

When using behaviorism theory often the behaviorist approach is used in learning. The approach frequently processes two main processes namely the operant conditioning and classical conditioning. However, when using both approaches they all insist in environmental learning thus may be applicable in a clinical environment regarding it as best fit in nursing learning. The theory has been known for its effectiveness in reinforcement of techniques which are very effective in treatment of human disorders. Therefore, may be used in health institution thus the theory can be used to teach. Furthermore, the behaviorism theory is considered the most effective to both in rewarding and punishing students as a result the theory can suit learning in a clinical environment. On the other hand, behaviorism theory insists its use in technical form i.e., using the theory in real life experiences. This has then given the theory highly acknowledgement in its application to teach nursing thus can be used in a clinical environment. Due to the above mentioned reasons the theory has continued to be used in clinical environment not only because it’s of best fit but its formats has continued to show efficiency in knowledge application.

Conclusion

In conclusion, despite the challenges facing teaching and learning in the clinical environment there is need to address the problems since challenges will always affect most educational approach. Therefore, need to strive to come up with the best fit theory to fit the changing clinical environment should be a priority. Nevertheless, the behaviorist’s theory best suits clinical environment since the theory involves practical experiences, real life stimulus for every change to be witnessed. Unlike other theories that may not be considered to be the best fit when compared to behavioral theory may not even be applicable in a clinical environment. Furthermore, the fact that behavioral theory is not based on fixed stimulus but the response based on how the stimulus affects a patient has given enough proof that the theory should be used for the clinical environment. Moreover, the fact that the behavioral theory remains one of the least expensive to apply and understand this has given the theory an advantage over other theories since it can create better understanding to students thus its efficiency in clinical environment. However, changing the current learning style for nursing students may end up influencing their career since the clinical environment is the best for teaching such professions.

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